Everything about your article, "Does this book make me look smart?" (April 15), is awful. If Chris Braiotta had read Infinite Jest, he might realize what an incredible jerk he is for talking so poorly about such an emotional, heartfelt book. It's cerebral, sure, but at its core, it's just trying to foster a dialogue about how to be good to each other, how to connect with other human beings. Braiotta reduces that to an insulting level without having read it. I'm angry but I also just feel badly for him, that he's missing out. He sounds like everything he's accusing IJ fans of being. The book changed my life in a real way — it helped me. I'm pissed off that Braiotta is trying to invalidate everyone's experience with the book. He's a pretentious dick.

STEPHANIE PALUMBO
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

ALL WET

In your Red Sox supplement ("How I learned to face the music," April 8), you mention the Standells and say that they had never been to Boston. While that may have been true prior to their recording of "Dirty Water," they opened for the Rolling Stones at the Manning Bowl in Lynn in the summer of 1966 and played the song at that show. When the Stones started playing "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," everyone knew that the show was ending. Those of us on the field rushed the stage. The Stones' limos were parked in front of the stage. The Stones sprinted to the limos as the crowd rushed them. The police, without a weatherman to tell them which way the wind was blowing, let loose tear gas. Only problem was that the wind was blowing back at them and they were the ones who were tear-gassed! I was there.